Alexander Tattenhall Dewar (19 June 1912 – 7 January 1995) was a leather manufacturer and member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Alex Dewar
Deputy Leader of the
Queensland Liberal Party
In office
23 December 1965 – 9 June 1967
LeaderGordon Chalk
Preceded byGordon Chalk
Succeeded byPeter Delamothe
Minister for Industrial Development
In office
28 January 1965 – 9 June 1967
PremierFrank Nicklin
Preceded byAlan Munro
Succeeded byFred Campbell
Minister for Labour and Industry
In office
10 January 1963 – 28 January 1965
PremierFrank Nicklin
Preceded byKenneth Morris
Succeeded byJohn Herbert
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Wavell
Chermside (1950–1960)
In office
29 April 1950 – 17 May 1969
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byArthur Crawford
Personal details
Born
Alexander Tattenhall Dewar

(1912-06-19)19 June 1912
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Died7 January 1995(1995-01-07) (aged 82)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Political partyLiberal Party
Other political
affiliations
Independent Liberal
SpouseAilsa Marjorie Drain (m.1946 d.1991)
OccupationLeather manufacturing

Early life

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Dewar was born in Brisbane, Queensland, to parents Alexander Sawers Dewar and his wife Elizabeth Fraser (née Macdonald). He was educated at Chermside and Wooloowin State Schools and the Commercial High School. In World War II he served in 143rd Australian General Transport Company from 1942 and then joined the RAAF the next year where he achieved the rank of Flying officer and serving in England and Canada. He was discharged in February 1946[2] and took up work at the family leather manufacturing in Kedron.[3]

Political career

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At the 1950 state election, Dewar contested the new seat of Chermside for the Liberal Party and defeated Labor's J.B. Macarthur.[4] He held the seat until it was abolished for the 1960 election. He then won the seat of Wavell, holding it until his defeat in 1969.

During his time in Parliament he was Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Problems of Youth (1957-1959), Minister for Labour and Industry (1963-1965), Minister for Industrial Development (1965-1967) and deputy leader of the Liberal Party in 1965.

He was forced to resign as Minister for Industrial Development in 1967 for allegedly "kissing and certain other actions" with two girls from the Department of Labor and Tourism. Dewar was outraged at the accusations and accused departmental public servants of spreading the story. He resigned from the Liberal Party in August 1968 and sat as an Independent Liberal for the last year of his parliamentary career.

Personal life

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On the 16 Nov 1946, Dewar married Ailsa Marjorie Drain (died 1991)[5] and together had one son and one daughter.[1]

Dewar died in January 1995 and was cremated at Albany Creek Memorial Park Crematorium.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  2. ^ World War II Nominal RollAustralian Government. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  3. ^ And here are some new facesThe Sunday Mail. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  4. ^ This is how you voted at yesterday's electionThe Sunday Mail. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  5. ^ Ailsa Marjorie Dewar ( - 1991) — Heaven Address. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  6. ^ Alexander Tattenhall Dewar ( - 1995) — Heaven Address. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
Parliament of Queensland
New seat Member for Chermside
1950–1960
Abolished
New seat Member for Wavell
1960–1969
Succeeded by